Kindergarten Software

Kindergarten can be a magical time for children. It is a real rite of passage for many. Because children mature at different rates, and because they are entering school for the first time, kindergarten is also a time when you see a wide range of abilities. It is a great time to supplement, or challenge your child on the home computer.

You may see the occasional pile of worksheets arriving, but wonder what skills are really emphasized during the kindergarten year. While this varies from district to district, there are a few things you can pretty well count on:

• letter sound recognition
• number recognition
• counting skills
• addition and subtraction through at least 10 (to 20 in many classes)
• seasonal and time related studies
• calendar introduction
• shape/color/patterning skills
• basic phonics or whole language introduction
• thinking skills such as remember items, thinking through consequences etc. (usually taught as incidental learning, but is very important at this age).

You can best reinforce these skills on your home computer by selecting a program that fits your child's developmental stage. Different programs are better for different stages. If you are not sure, you can always ask the teacher.

• A 'young kindergartener' either has a late birthday, or just needs a bit more readiness, time, or supplementation
• An 'average kindergarten' is usually doing fine. They are often in the middle of the pack and just enjoying the year.
• An 'advanced kindergartener' is either causing no end of trouble due to boredom, or is just biding his or her time until first grade and enjoys learning for learning's sake.

Reader Rabbit's Personalized Kindergarten: This program may look like the one you saw on the shelf last year, but don't be fooled. The new ADAPT technology allows the program to pre-test your child, and then place them at the proper level for each activity. It monitors your child's needs as they work. Reader Rabbit covers a good, broad base of kindergarten skills and is appropriate for all levels of kindergarten children. The extremely advanced will find it too easy, however and will be better off sticking with the older Big Thinkers Kindergarten.

Jump Start Kindergarten: Here your child will cover basic reading, math and thinking skills such as memory. This is not the most thorough kindergarten program, but when packaged with the following two programs as JumpStart Kindergarten Collection, it makes a very nice, and extremely thorough package.

JumpStart Kindergarten Math: The math activities are unique, and a lot of fun. There are lots of hands-on activities, which are good for kids who need to visualize their mathematical experiences. Skills covered include, measurement, patterning, addition and subtraction, logic and number writing (a skill not tackled by other programs.)

JumpStart Reading for Kindergarteners: This program has some solid reading skills, including letter recognition and work with both upper and lower case letters. It is best for the younger, or average kindergarten. It is also not good for a child who hates to listen to instructions. It can be a bit wordy. Most kids will find it a fun program, however and makes a great package with the first two JumpStart programs.

Arthur's Kindergarten: This program will be out in late September '99 and emphasizes thinking skills. This is one that is good for less mature kindergarten children, or those who are just not ready to commit to real 'academics' on the computer. This is not one to choose if you want to cover a broad range of kindergarten skills.

Little Bear's Kindergarten Thinking Adventure: Also due out in late September, this is my new favorite. No traditional academics here, but lots of age appropriate brain building activities. This program has a very nice, family-oriented feel to it. The thinking activities are great for kindergarteners of average to advanced ability. The highest level will challenge your more advanced child.

Reading Blaster Kindergarten: This is the only new program that attempts to teach letter sounds in their purist form. There isn't any blending practice, but it's a good, solid introduction to beginning reading skills for children this age. If you have disliked Blaster programs in the past, as I have, this one is worth looking at. I was pleasantly surprise

Depending on the personality and needs of your child, you are sure to find a program that will help supplement that first important year of school. Capitalize on your child's natural interest in the computer, and desire to learn.